Tuesday, 28 March 2017

PLUM FRANGIPANE TART

I remember my mother making jam with all sorts of fruits and sometimes vegetables, marrow being one! We must have known someone with a plum tree because that seemed to be a particular favourite of hers to make. The only down side was that she seemed averse to removing the stones which ment it was something you have to be mindfull of doing when spreading it on your toast. So I was only too pleased to be the recipient of a jar of plum jam from my sister which, not only lacked the bothersome stones but had the added luxury of being spiced with cinnamon and star anise, fancy!

I've been eating it on toasted crumpets but decided to make it go that bit further adding it to a frangipane tart topped with more plums. If you can't get plum jam, damson is a good alternative. I've finished mine with a scattering of sugar nibs but flaked almonds would also work well.

Pastry:

150g Plain Flour

30g Icing Sugar

75g Butter

Frangipane:

150g Butter

150g Sugar

3 Eggs

50g Self Raising Flour

150g Ground Almonds

1 tsp Almond Extract

300g Plum Jam

4 Ripe Plums

2 tbsp Sugar Nibs (Optional)

Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and icing sugar, add enough water to make the dough come together. Add the water a little at a time stirring it in with a knife.

Roll out the pastry and line a deep 8.5 inch fluted flan tin. Line the pastry with parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes at 160C fan. Remove the parchment and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for a further 5 minutes to dry out.

Spread the jam over the base, this is easier to do whilst the pastry is still warm. Now make the frangipane. Cream the butter and sugar together then add the eggs, flour, ground almonds and extract and mix well. Top the jam with the frangipane mix and spread it over the tart to completely cover the jam.

Cut the plums into quarters and remove the stones. Arrange the plums on top skin side down then scatter over the sugar nibs or flaked almonds if using.

Bake for 40-50 minutes till its golden brown and the frangipane is set.

Don't forget you can use your pastry scraps to make jam tarts, who doesn't like a jam tart?